Looking for some advice if possible. We've noticed a few cracks (photos attached) on the external walls of our property and would like to get others' opinions. We are located in Essex, where most homes are built on clay. The site was previously scrubland, so we believe our house and others in the area were piled. Aside from typical internal shrinkage, we haven't seen any significant cracks before. And there are no internal cracks whatsoever.
The worst crack is at the rear of the property, about the width of a pound coin. As shown in the images, it goes through several bricks, steps up through the cement, and extends into the garden. There's also a significant crack above a window on the side of the house, also about the width of a pound coin, but it doesn't go through any bricks. Additionally, I've included a photo of a window that appears to have dropped slightly, or the silicone around the top has shrunk. It's wide enough for me to fit a finger through. The window sill seems to have dropped at the back, with the silicone coming away in the corners.
Naturally, subsidence comes to mind, but since we believe the house is piled, we're unsure if that's the case.
The worst crack is at the rear of the property, about the width of a pound coin. As shown in the images, it goes through several bricks, steps up through the cement, and extends into the garden. There's also a significant crack above a window on the side of the house, also about the width of a pound coin, but it doesn't go through any bricks. Additionally, I've included a photo of a window that appears to have dropped slightly, or the silicone around the top has shrunk. It's wide enough for me to fit a finger through. The window sill seems to have dropped at the back, with the silicone coming away in the corners.
Naturally, subsidence comes to mind, but since we believe the house is piled, we're unsure if that's the case.
